Liam henry harrison



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. A. MATTHIAS & W. H. HARRISON.

STOPPER FOR JARS, BOTTLES, ems, &c. No. 579,887.

Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

BfUdZva/m/7KW/YWW -7'HE'/R HTTORNEY5'- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. A. MATTHIAS 85 W. H. HARRISON.

STOPPER FOR JARS, BOTTLES, CANS, 82:0.

Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

THE/R ATTORNEYS Prion.

EDW'ARD A. ,MATTIIIAS, OF LIVERPOOL, AND lVILLlAM H. HARRISON, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

STOPPER FOR JARS, BOTTLES, CANS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,887, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed January 12, 1897. serial No. 619,012. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD ALEXANDER MATTHIAS, residing at Liverpool, and VIL- LIAM HENRY HARRISON, residing at Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented a new and useful Improved Stopper for Jars, Bottles, Cans, or other Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to so 0011- struct an improved stopper for closing the mouth or other orifice of a jar, bottle, or other similar vessel that the stopper automatically fastens itself firmly and air-tight in the mouth or orifice of the said vessel when inserted, but admits of being easily introduced and removed by the simple action of the thumb or finger, without the aid of any screw, lever, key, or any other similar instrument, when the attempt is made in the proper but simple manner hereinafter described.

Our improved stopper is preferably made of earthenware, glass, or other similar incorrodible substance, but it may sometimes be of metal, provision being made in such case to enable it to resist the corrosive action of damp or of any substance or liquids which may be contained in the vessel.

The construction and operation of our improved stopper will be readily understood on reference to the sheet of illustrative drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.

Figure l is a section, and Fig. 2 a plan view, of one form of our improved stopper. Fig. 3 is a section at right angles to Fig. l, and Fig. at is a similar View showing the action of inserting and withdrawing the stopper. Figs. 5 to 13, inclusive, are views show ing slight modifications of the same, chiefly illustrating different ways of introducing and fixing the springs which compress the two parts of the stopper together, as hereinafter more particularly referred to and explained.

The improved stopper is cylindrical or slightly conical and is composed of two principal parts a and b, which are horizontally divided and are capable of sliding telescopically the one within the other, the upper part a having a projecting flange o all around the top edge, and a circumferential groove or neck being formed all around at the point of junction, as shown at Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Around this groove or neck is placed a ring 0 of india-rubber or other suitable elastic substance or composition, (preferably formed of a transverse section from a piece of tubing,) as shown.

The two parts CL and l) of the stopper are strongly compressed together by means of a spring d, preferably formed like the ring 0, but made stronger, so that as the two parts a and b are closed together by this spring cl the ring 0 will be caused to bulge out beyond the circumference of the stopper, as shown at Figs. 1 and 3, and so fill up the mouth or orifice of the jar or vessel in a perfectly airtight manner, but when the two portions a, and b of the stopper are slightly separated from each other by the insertion of the finger through the hole c in the top of the part a (so as either to raise up the top a or to press down the bottom part b) the bulge is flattened by the contraction of the india-rubber ring 0 to its original tubular form, as shown at Fig. 4, and the stopper being thus reduced in circumference becomes a slack fit and can easily be introduced into or removed from the mouth or orifice of the bottle or other vessel.

In its normal position the two parts a and Z) of the stopper, as previously stated, are held or caused to spring together by the strong rubber spring cl, which is secured to both parts, the rubber band or ring 0 being therefore normally in its bulged state, as shown on all figures excepting Fig. 4, the hole (or holes) 6 being made in the top a for the insertion of the finger either to raise up the part a or press down the part b when it is desired to take out the bulge and thus to reduce the diameter of the stopper. To insert the stop per into the mouth of the orifice or vessel, the finger is introduced into the hole 6, and downward pressure is applied to the bottom part b, which will elongate the stopper and reduce its diameter by allowing the ring 0 to contract, so that it can be easily inserted.

When the stopper has been inserted, the pressure is relieved by the withdrawal of the finger. The strong rubber spring d will then contract, drawing the two parts a and b together and causing the rubber ring 0 to bulge out again (see Figs. 1 and I3) and automatically fasten the stopper air-tight in its place.

To remove the stopper, it is sufficient to insert the finger into the hole 6 and raise up the top part a, which will draw the two parts asunder, allowing the rubber ring 0 to collapse and enabling the stopper to be readily withdrawn.

The strong spring (1, which holds the two parts a and I) together, may be introduced and fixed in various ways. In the arrangement shown at Figs. 1, 2, 8, and 4 two fingerholes 6 are made in the upper part. The lower loop of the spring (1 is first attached to the bottom part b and a pin f passed through it. A piece of string or wire is then passed through the upper loop of the spring, which is thereby drawn up through the slot in the top part a. A shorter pin g is inserted through this loop and is then dropped into the two recesses 71, made to receive it.

In the section Fig. 5 one central hole only is made in the top part and the two loops of the spring are fixed above by two pins g. The central doubled part of the spring is then pressed down by a saddle-piece '11 (see also plan View, Fig. 6) into the recess oi": the lower part I) and fixed therein by a pin f.

Fi 7 and 8 illustrate another way wherein two springs (Z are used, their lower loops bein g drawn through slots in the bottom of the,

piece I) and held firm by passing through the loop a piece of india-rubber cord 7.2, which will prevent its being drawn out of the slot and will at the same time make an air and liquid tight joint.

Fig. 9 shows a slight modification of the above, the lower loops of the springs being fixed in the part Z) by metal pins and the slots plugged up afterward, as shown at Z.

Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 illustrate a1nodifi cation of Fig. 5, in which the saddle-piece 6 is made with parallel sides and rounded ends to correspond with the internal form of the lower part Z1, which is made with a projeetin g lip at each end, so that when saddle-piece i is introduced through the opening and turned one-quarter around, so as to bring its ends under the lips, it is fixed therein without the use of metal pins. As it would be difficult,

if not impossible, to :form the projecting lips in the dies, we find it best to make the interior form of the part b circular, as before, and to insert therein a piece at, made in the form shown at Fig. 11, fastening the same therein with slip or otherwise, and to hold the saddle-piece i in place slight projections are formed thereon on the upper surface at or near the ends, and corresponding indentations are made in the lowersur'face of the piece at, so that when the saddle-piece i is pressed down and turned one-quarter around they interlock, and the pressure of the spring (1 will keep the piece i firmly in its place.

Sometimes when using two springs d we make the top of the part a with a second projecting rim a, as shown at Fig. 14, and with a small central hole merely, through which passes out a stud b forming part of the bottom portion 1) of the stopper. In this case it is not necessary to insert the finger into the stopper to separate the two parts, but merely to press on the stud b or to pull the projecting rim a upward, as the case may be. It might be necessary to press stud and pull at rim at the same time when either introducing or extracting stopper.

\Ve claim as our invention An improved stopper for jars, bottles, cans or other vessels consisting of two cylindrical or slightly conical parts horizontally divided and capable of sliding telescopically one within the other, and formed with circumferential n eck or groove at the point of junction around which is placed india-rubber or other elastic ring; the two parts being normally held together by means of a spring or springs which when in action automatically draw the two parts together so as to cause the india-rubber ring to bulge all around; and being so arranged that they can be pushed or drawn asunder by the simple action of the finger or hand in pushing in or pulling out the stopper substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. A. MATTIIIAS. WM. ll. HARRISON. Witnesses:

Gnonen Dlwms, Jxo. HUGHES. 

